Frying chicken is a cherished cooking technique for good reason – when done right, it yields irresistibly crispy, juicy, and flavorful results. However, one point of debate among home cooks and professional chefs alike is whether to cover the chicken while it’s frying. Here, we aim to settle this age-old question and provide clarity on the best practices for frying chicken to crispy, golden-brown perfection.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Covered Frying
Covering the pan when frying chicken offers some potential benefits
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It helps the chicken cook faster by trapping steam and heat This allows the inside to cook through while browning the outside.
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It keeps splattering to a minimum, resulting in a cleaner cooking process.
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It can help retain moisture in the meat, keeping it tender and juicy.
However, covering the chicken while frying also comes with some drawbacks:
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The trapped moisture can make the coating soggy instead of crispy and crunchy.
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It may prevent the chicken from browning properly, resulting in pale, blond chicken rather than deep golden brown.
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It can cause the chicken to boil in its own juices rather than fry, completely eliminating the crispy exterior.
Uncovered Frying for Crispier Chicken
For those who prefer crispy, crunchy fried chicken, uncovered frying is generally the way to go. Here are some tips for achieving the perfect crispiness:
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Make sure the oil is hot enough. Aim for 325-375°F to properly crisp the coating and seal in juices.
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Fry in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan. Too much chicken lowers the temp.
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Allow excess moisture to evaporate by leaving uncovered.
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Pat chicken dry before dredging to further eliminate moisture.
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Use a combo of flour and cornstarch for extra crispiness.
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Allow the chicken to rest on a wire rack after frying to maintain crispiness.
Finding the Right Balance
For many home cooks and chefs, the ideal method involves a bit of both covered and uncovered frying. Here are some tips for finding the perfect balance:
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Partially cover to start. This contains some splattering while still allowing moisture to escape.
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Fry uncovered once the coating sets to finish browning the exterior.
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Alternatively, cover fully at first then finish uncovered.
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Watch carefully to prevent burning or undercooking when transitioning between covered and uncovered.
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Consider oven-finishing after doing an initial covered pan-fry to cook through while crisping the coating.
Key Considerations for Moist, Juicy Chicken
If your priority is moist, juicy chicken rather than a crunchy crust, covering the pan more fully may work better. Here are some tips:
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Use boneless, skinless chicken if you want juicy meat but don’t need the skin to be crispy.
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Brine the chicken before frying to boost moisture and flavor.
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Make sure oil is hot when adding chicken to sear and seal in juices.
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Use an oil with high smoke point like peanut or vegetable oil.
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Don’t overcook! Use a meat thermometer and remove chicken at 165°F.
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Allow chicken to rest before serving to lock in juices.
Perfecting Your Technique
Mastering the art of fried chicken takes experimentation with different techniques. Here are some top tips:
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Play around with covered and uncovered frying to find your perfect method based on priorities.
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Use a probe thermometer to prevent under or overcooking when transitioning between covered and uncovered.
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For even cooking, fry chicken of uniform size and thickness where possible.
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Season well before and after frying for maximum flavor.
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Keep oil between 325-375°F for ideal frying temperature.
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Let chicken rest before biting in to prevent juices from escaping.
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Re-fry leftover chicken at 350°F to re-crisp the coating
Common Pitfalls and Problems
It’s easy to go wrong when frying chicken. Here are some common issues and how to avoid them:
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Soggy coating – Ensure chicken is dry, use hot oil, finish frying uncovered.
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Undercooked chicken – Fry smaller pieces, use thermometer to check doneness.
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Burnt exterior, raw inside – Don’t overload pan, lower heat if browning too fast.
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Dry, overcooked meat – Don’t overcook, brine chicken first, rest before serving.
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Uneven cooking – Fry similar sizes together, adjust heat as needed.
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Heavy, greasy chicken – Don’t overcrowd pan, drain on rack after frying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you cover chicken when pan frying, deep frying or air frying?
For pan frying, it’s generally best to start covered, then finish uncovered. For deep frying, you can’t cover but you can adjust batch sizes and oil temp. Air frying doesn’t require covering.
How does covering affect cooking time?
Covering speeds up cooking time by trapping steam and heat. However, you may need to increase total time if finishing uncovered to crisp the coating.
Should you cover boneless, skinless chicken when pan frying?
It’s less critical to leave boneless, skinless chicken uncovered since the skin won’t get crispy. Some covering can help retain moisture.
What oil is best for pan frying chicken?
For high heat pan frying, peanut, vegetable, canola or refined coconut oils work well. Avoid olive oil as it has a low smoke point.
Is covering chicken while frying necessary?
Covering is not strictly necessary but can help retain moisture and reduce splattering. It ultimately depends on your desired texture and cooking method.
The Takeaway on Covering Fried Chicken
While the debate over covering fried chicken continues, there are compelling cases for both covered and uncovered frying. For optimal crispy fried chicken, uncovered frying is your best bet. But for tender, juicy meat, some time under cover can work wonders. By understanding the impacts of both techniques, you can tweak your recipe for your ideal fried chicken outcome. Just keep these tips in mind, avoid common pitfalls, and your homemade fried chicken will rival the best restaurant versions. So grab the drumsticks, fire up the fryer, and enjoy the delicious quest for fried chicken perfection!
More About This Recipe
- There was a time when just about every cook had her own special fried chicken recipe, especially throughout the South. These days, many folks have lost touch with the tradition of serving fried chicken for Sunday dinner, but it’s a treasured practice that is certainly worth a revival, no matter where you live. Invite everyone over for a chicken dinner, and then serve up this easy, ready-in-under-an-hour version. What to serve along with it? Keep things easy on yourself and ask your guests to bring along the sides and salads. A post-walk stroll for ice cream cones might be the perfect capper to your old-fashioned meal. Now that this recipe has taught you how to make fried chicken, you can find more delicious, quick-fix chicken ideas in Betty’s collection of best chicken recipes.
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- Prep Time 10 min
- Total 45 min
- Servings 6
- Ingredients 6
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- 1/2 cup Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3- to 3 1/2-lb cut-up whole chicken
- Vegetable oil
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Make With Gold Medal Flour (function() { document.addEventListener(DOMContentLoaded, function() { var componentMetadata = JSON.parse(x7bx22componentNamex22x3ax22RecipeBadges_2ee1ece6-a33c-4f37-aafb-6377bfa48ff1x22,x22deferOptionsx22x3ax7bx22deferComponentx22x3afalse,x22deferTypex22x3ax22Nonex22,x22deferIdx22x3ax22re96b5f7054544ecc8fb13b58bb5996fdx22,x22deferredContainerIdx22x3ax22x2fmainx2frdpIngredientsx22,x22deferredContainerViewx22x3anullx7d,x22viewNamex22x3ax22RecipeBadgesx22x7d); var configuration = {“boostedMetadataId”:”9223a3ed-9c14-580f-b9e7-f31f0ba02c9e”}; var moduleName = madeWithBadge; var isVueModule = false; GeneralMills.PandoSites.RegisterControlInstance(moduleName, configuration, componentMetadata, isVueModule) }); })(); (function() { document.addEventListener(DOMContentLoaded, function() { var componentMetadata = JSON.parse(x7bx22componentNamex22x3ax22DoubleClick_bacf9bda-21c4-4e72-b17f-8c348c0ec61dx22,x22deferOptionsx22x3ax7bx22deferComponentx22x3atrue,x22deferTypex22x3ax22OnDemandx22,x22deferIdx22x3ax22r98cc1d1fabbc4d43aaf2bac75bea69abx22,x22deferredContainerIdx22x3ax22x2fmainx2frdpSecondaryAdx22,x22deferredContainerViewx22x3ax22DoubleClickx22x7d,x22viewNamex22x3ax22DoubleClickx22x7d); var configuration = {“adId”:”OMP/bettycrocker/recipes/300x250_bottom”,”minPageWidth”:”1000″,”maxPageWidth”:”9999″,”defaultMinPageWidth”:”1000″,”defaultMaxPageWidth”:”9999″,”size”:”[[300,600],[300,250]]”,”refreshWhenViewed”:false,”adContainerId”:”eda6364a-6fc5-4e7c-9046-d92f3cb250e3″,”doubleClickAdContainerId”:”a99e454a-0e8d-47c7-8b68-455a924d6f84″,”adCaptionText”:”Advertisement”,”networkCode”:”/15704463/”,”relevantMetadata”:[null],”privacyOptOut”:false,”isThirdPartyProvider”:false,”thirdPartyTag”:””,”sovrnCssClass”:””,”responsive”:true,”contentType”:”Recipe”,”itemId”:”82d50faa-3af8-4e10-ba88-d1b5f23daab0″,”continuesBelowText”:”Recipe Continues Below”}; var moduleName = doubleClick; var isVueModule = true; GeneralMills.PandoSites.RegisterControlInstance(moduleName, configuration, componentMetadata, isVueModule) }); })();
- Step 1 In shallow dish, mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture.
- Step 2 In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat about 2 cups oil (1/4 inch) over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil, skin sides down, about 10 minutes or until light brown; reduce heat to low. Turn chicken skin sides up.
- Step 3 Cook uncovered about 20 minutes, without turning, until juice of chicken is clear when thickest pieces are cut to bone (at least 165°F).
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